Baptismal apparatus



July 5, 1966 Filed Dec. '7, 1964 H. B. KUHNLE BAPTI SMAL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O m Q l\ O N7.

d) Ln Ln Ns! N O ,/m N N Nl] N I m 1 l n INVENTOR HAROLD B. KUHNLE ATTORNEY July 5, 1966 B, KUHNLE 3,258,785

BAPTI SMAL APPARATUS Filed Dec. '7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HAROLD B. KUHNLE BY [/(j,

ATTORNEY United States Patent Otice 3,258,785 Patented July 5, 1966 3,258,785 BAPTISMAL APPARATUS Harold B. Kuhnle, 207 S. Ashland Ave., Lexington, Ky. Filed Dec. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 416,520 6 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) This invention relates to a new `and improved baptismal apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus whose employment in no way detracts from the solemnity and dignity of the ceremony of baptism by immersion.

Various forms of baptismal apparatus whose chief purpose is to aid the ofciating minister in lowering and raising the baptismal candidate into and from the water have been proposed, but, so far as I am aware, have been attended by certain disadvantages which it is a purpose of the present invention to overcome. For example, at a single baptismal service a number of `candidates ranging from small children to large adults may be baptised and when the apparatus necessitates an adjustment between successive baptisms, a distracting element is introduced into the ceremony. Moreover, when the apparatus or the movement of such apparatus is Visible or audible to the congregation, the attention of those present may be diverted to the functioning of the apparatus. In addition, since such apparatus is disposed in a relatively small conlined body of water, undue wave motion may ensue as such apparatus moves in the water.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved baptismal apparatus in the form of a simple baptistry couch whose moving parts do not invite attention of the congregation.

Another object is to provide .a baptismal apparatus suitable for use with candidates of large or small stature and without requiring any adjustment for successive candidates.

Another object is to provide a baptismal apparatus which relieves the oiciating minister of undue physical exertion in conducting the baptismal ceremony.

A further object is to provide a baptismal apparatus having means f-or restraining the feet of an immersed can- 40 didate from oating.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus With the several parts in the position occupied when the candidate is fully immersed.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus in normal unoccupied position.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through a baptistry indicating a suitable location for the apparatus therein.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view indicating the movements of the several parts of the structure.

FIGURE 5 is a detail view showing a bracket mounting for the crankshaft.

FIGURE 6 is a detail view showing one form of mounting for the pivoted forward portion of the couch; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view through the footembracing arm.

Referring rst to FIGURE l, a lower framework oomprising a pair of elongated side members 10 and 11 suitably braced by cross members 12, 13, 14 and having an adjustable leveling means 15 at each corner, is provided, and, for example, may have an overall length of about six feet. A pair of rearward corner posts 16, 17 with a height of about two feet and a-pair of shorter front corner posts 18, 19 are rigidly aiiixed to the lower framework, as are a pair of central posts 20, 21. The central posts mount a transverse plate 22 at their upper ends and the posts 16, 17 are separated by a rigid spacer 23 at their upper ends. Rigid upper side members 24 and 25 extend from spacer 23 to plate 22 and are affixed thereto, and a `covering material forming the generally flat surface 26 on which the back of the candidate is to rest is rigidly attached to these upper side members. Suitable side bracing as indicated at 27 also may be provided. Various materials may be employed for the described stationary portion of the couch, but I prefer to use aluminuml alloy tubing for the posts, spacers and longer members; a sheet of aluminum to form the surface 26; and an aluminum extrusion for the plate 22. As will be understood, suitable openings in the tubing will be provided so that water will enter `and drain from these parts, to the end that these couch portions will not be buoyant.

For cooperation with the stationary couch portion, a movable forward couch portion comprising arcuate side members 30, 31 having cross members 32, 33 adjacent its ends and elongated handle rails 34, 35 at the sides is pivotally mounted on the stationary framework. A covering material forming the convex surface 37, on which the candidate is to be seated, is rigidly attached to the side members 30, 31 and terminates at a lower edge 38 beneath the axis of pivoting. In contrast with the stationary surface 26 this movable surface, which may be of a material similar to that of surface 26, is provided with a plurality of openings 39 through which water may .pass =as the movable portion of the couch moves up or down, thus to avoid any undue wave motion which might alarm the candidate or cause any distracting audible noise.

Considering now FIG. 6, the movable couch portion can be mounted in various ways, one of which includes arms attached as by welding to the front ends of the -respective side members, one such arm 40 being shown with respect to side member 30. These arms include apertures through which a transverse rod 41 extends and with the ends ofthe rod being engaged in holes or sockets provided in adapters which t into the open upper ends of the respective front corner posts. One such adapter 42 cooperating with post 18 is shown.

Although the couch, as above described, may be employed for the purposes of the invention, it is preferred to reduce the physical effort of the officiating minister in assisting the candidate to regain his standing position and the invention therefore, comprehends the use of a mechanism serving such purpose and now to be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, brackets45 and 46 are attached rto the surfaces of the posts 18 and 20 and a similar bracket 44 is attached to a short post 43 extending upward from the lower side member 10 slightly forward of the bracket 46. Each of these brackets have attached thereto a detachable cap 47 providing an opening 48 i-nto which a crankshaft 49 is journalled for oscillatory movement.

The crankshaft conveniently comprises a single rod having a lateral elonga-ted arm 50, for example, yabout two feet in length, at its extreme forward end. This arm is covered with a soft plastic material 51 and the shaft is so mounted in bracket 45 asto dispose the `arm at the proper position in advance of the couch framework and at which location the bar in lowered position will lie above the ankles of the candidate while being immersed, thus to embrace the feet and .to prevent lthe feet from rising.

Adjacent its rearward end the shaft is formed with an herein called the first crank arm, having attached thereto and projecting laterally therefrom an adjustable socket member 57 of a conventional ball and socket joint. A connecting rod 58 having ball members at each end engages at one end within the socket 57 and at the other end within a socket 59 attached to ya pad 60 affixed to the underside of the movable front portion of the couch and at about the centerline of the couch.

The location of pad 60 is such that it does not interfere with the seating of the cross member 32 on the plate 22 when the forward couch position is in fully lowered position.

Accordingly, when the couch is unoccupied, the spring as shown in FIG. 4, causes the crankshaft to revolve and first crank arm 56 through the connecting rod 58 then raises the rear end of the pivoted front portion of the couch to the elevated position shown in dotted lines, and corresponding to the side elevation view of FIG. 2. A-t this time the rear edge of the raised position of the couch may be about eight inches higher than the surface 26 of the stationary portion and the rotation of the shaft through ninety degrees has raised the arm 50 to upright position.

With the couch in the described position of readiness a-nd located within the baptistry 61 (FIG. 3) beneath the surface 64 of the water, the candidate enters the baptistry into the space 65 provided therein and within which space the minister is standing. Upon being seated upon the convex surface 37 of the couch the candidate then causes the front portion of the couch to move downward until it engages with the bar 22 serving to limit that downward movement. Accordingly, when the candidate then leans fully backward, immersion is completed and spring 53 will become fully stressed. Moreover, the arm 50 is extended across the ankles of the candidate.

The candidate is restored to the seated position by the ministers hand. Thereafter, as the candidate stands up, the arm 50 reaches the full upright position, and the couch is then in readiness for use by the next candidate.

As will be noted, small children may be seated on the surface of ythe couch as well `as large adults and no adjustment of the pivoted action of the couch is necessary between successive baptisms. If the Weight of the child is insufficient to overcome the stress of the spring, the minister then may press downwardly on the hand rail 35 as required to effect complete immersion of the candidate.v

The hand -rails 34, 35 not only provide a means for grasping by the candidate, but also serve to confine the candidates body on the comparatively narrow couch which, for example, may have an overall width of about two feet and which accordingly aids in enlarging the unobstructed space 65 within the baptistry 63. The couch in its entirety is hidden from View of the congregation through the window 66 of the baptistry. As a convenient feature, the use of the levelling means at the four corners of the framework not only serves to level the couch with respect to an uneve-n floor of the baptistry, but also serves to raise the side member 11 so that the minister can stand in a convenient location with his feet beneath that side member.

For the purpose'of biasing the pivoted forward couch portion to its raised position various means other than the spring may be employed, as for example, the forming of the forward couch portion of a buoyant material or the attachment of buoyant members thereto.

Having thus described the invention by reference to a specific form of baptistry couch embodying the same, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms, within the scope of the appended claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to receive by letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Baptismal apparatus comprising `a couch for supporting `a candidate for baptism in recumbent position beneath the surface of a body of water; said couch including an elongated framework mounting a movable forward couch portion having a surface on which the candidate is seated prior to complete immersion, a stationary rearward couch portion mounted on said framework and having a surface on which the back of the candidate reclines duri-ng immersion, said forward couch portion being pivotally mounted adjacent its forward end on said framework, and means on said framework for limiting the downward movement of the rear edge of the surface of said forward couch portion to an elevation corresponding substantially to the elevation of the surface of said rearward couch portion during the immersion of the candidate.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said surface of said forward couch portion on which the candidate is seated is convex and the axis of pivoting of said forward portion is located at a lower elevation than the elevation of said surface of said rearward couch portion.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said convex surface includes a plurality of holes through which water may pass during movement of said convex surface.

4. Baptismal apparatus comprising a couch for supporting a candidate for baptism in recurnbent positio-n beneath the surface of a body of water; said couch including an elongated framework mounting a normally raised forward couch portion on which the candidate is seated prior to immersion and a stationary rearward couch portion on which the back of the candidate reclines during immersion; means pivoting said forward portion on said framework for downward movement under the applied weight of the candidates body, maens for biasing said forward portion toward raised position thereby to assist said candidate in regaining a standing position following immersion, and means actuated by the downward movement of said pivoted portion for embracing the feet of the candidate and for preventing the raising of said feet under the buoyant action of said water.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for preventing the rising of said feet comprises an elongated arm located in front of said couch and attached to a shaft extending longitudinally of said couch, said shaft having a first crank arm intermediate the ends of the same and a connecting rod attached at its ends to said first crank arm and to the underside of the pivoted forward portion of said couch, said elongated arm being mounted for movement linto upright position when said forward por-tion of said couch is raised and for movement into position transversely of the forward end of said couch when said forward couch portion is lowered.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for biasing said forward portion of said couch to raised position comprises a second crank arm on said rod and a spring interposed between said second crank arm and a stationary portion of said framework.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 839,755 12/1906 Harper 269-323 848,423 3/1907 Young 269-327 1,171,901 2/1916 Stone 4l73 2,461,627 2/1949 Brewster 269-324 2,462,627 2/1949 Garrett 4-185 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. BAPTISMAL APPARATUS COMPRISING A COUCH FOR SUPPORTING A CANDIDIATE FOR BAPTISM IN RECUMBENT POSITION BENEATH THE SURFACE OF A BODY OF WATER; SAID COUCH INCLUDING AN ELONGATED FRAMEWORK MOUNTING A MOVABLE FORWARD COUCH PORTION HAVING A SURFACE ON WHICH THE CANDIDIATE IS SEATED PRIOR TO COMPLETE IMMERSION, A STATIONARY REARWARD COUCH PORTION MOUNTED ON SAID FRAMEWORK AND HAVING A SURFACE ON WHICH THE BACK OF THE CANDIDATE RECLINES DURING IMMERSION, SAID FORWARD COUCH PORTION BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ADJACENT ITS FORWARD END ON 